Skills and Experience Paragraph(s)
The next 1-2 paragraph(s) should highlight your qualifications, skills and experience and how this fits in with the criteria they have outlined for the job. Your aim here is to emphasise how and why you would be good for the position in question. Don’t make the mistake though of simply replicating the content of your CV. Likewise, remember that the cover letter is not an interview, so do not be tempted to elaborate on everything. Don’t give everything away at this point!
Thank You Paragraph
Again, fitting in with the formal and polite tone of the letter, you should simply end it by thanking them for considering you, advising how and when you can be contacted and when you would be available for interview, should they wish to do so. This means the letter ends on a hopeful and positive note.
Tailor the Letter
Just as we have previously advised regarding your CV, it is essential too that you tailor your cover letter for each job applied for. Don’t simply have a generic letter to send out with every application or CV. The criteria may be different for every role, which is why you have to justify or “qualify” your application. Reasons for applying for a particular role or with a particular company too will vary, hence the need to individualise it. And HR Managers and recruiters alike can spot a mass produced cover letter immediately!
We hope that some of these basic tips will go some way to helping you write your next cover letter. We would love of course to hear of any other tips that you have that you could share. Feel free to let us know via the comments section below. How to write a cover letter – we hope this has helped!
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